Rhode Island Senate Bill S2868

Rhode Island 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/4/26
• Refer: 3/4/26

Caption

Increases continuing education requirements for physician assistants, removes restrictions of PAs to render charitable care and aid for school and youth programs or cardiac arrest and removes restrictive covenants as to ownership by a PA.

Impact

The bill also addresses the ability of physician assistants to render charitable services without facing penalties related to liability coverage, thus encouraging volunteerism in community health initiatives. Additionally, the measure permits physician assistants to operate under the School and Youth Programs Concussion Act and the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act, expanding their role in emergency situations involving youth athletics. This indicates a broader acceptance of physician assistants as integral members of the healthcare delivery team.

Summary

S2868 aims to amend existing laws related to physician assistants in Rhode Island, focusing on increasing continuing education requirements, removing restrictions on rendering charitable care, and permitting physician assistants to provide aid under specific programs. The bill proposes a biannual requirement of fifty hours of approved continuing medical education for physician assistants, an increase from the previous requirement. This change intends to enhance the professional development and competencies of practicing physician assistants, ensuring they remain current in medical practices and regulations.

Contention

Notably, S2868 removes restrictive covenants that limit the practice of physician assistants post-employment, effectively eliminating non-compete clauses that could hinder their career mobility. This is a contentious point, as it may draw opposing views from healthcare institutions that value such agreements for protecting their practice demographics. Proponents argue that removing these restrictions will lead to better healthcare access and service delivery by allowing physician assistants to transition between practices more freely.